4,000 Quarantined in Beijing as Suspected SARS Cases Climb

New York Times ^ | 4/25/2003 | Erik Eckolm

[EnquiringMind]

"Fact is no one knows what we are dealing with here. You don't have to be a doctor or a virologist to see that. That goes for the CDC too."

Does anyone remember the CDC telling us that Bob Stevens, the first person diagnosed with anthrax, contracted the disease from drinking tainted water from a stream in North Carolina? I remember vividly.

I'm as skeptical as you when it comes to the CDC reporting the truth.

[boknows]

Time for the U.N. to pass an anti-SARS resolution. That'll fix it.

[Dog Gone]

Does anyone remember the CDC telling us that Bob Stevens, the first person diagnosed with anthrax, contracted the disease from drinking tainted water from a stream in North Carolina? I remember vividly.

They never told us that. It was suggested as a possibility very early before more facts were obtained.

If you required everyone in government to refrain from speaking until they knew something definitive, you'd probably accuse them of engaging in coverup or denial.

[TaxRelief]

It was only a suggestion, and a valid one. People do occasionally contract environmental anthrax.

[CJ Wolf]

"The outbreak in Toronto is traceable back to a single source and has not broken out of the original contact groups."

Sounds like what china was saying last week

[LurkingSince'98]

I believe Smogger used current published death rate. BUT, not all the sick people have died yet. The rate WILL go higher when all who die who are just presently sick are included the total may surpass 10%

Regards,
Lurking'

[thinking]

This is the big risk...all the illegal Chinese that "normally" try to enter the country could be sources of SARS....

[CJ Wolf]

It was suggested (in my opinion) as a clear means to aviod a panic.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/10/05/florida.anthrax/

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol8no10/pdf/02-0389.pdf

[aristeides]

Death Rate for Global Outbreak Rising .

[Dog Gone]

Thompson said the FBI and the CDC are checking out restaurants and other places the man may have visited in North Carolina in the hope of finding out what caused his illness.

"We do know that he drank water out of a stream when he was traveling to North Carolina last week," said (HHS Secretary) Thompson. "But as far as wool or other things, it's entirely possible. We haven't got all of the investigations done and we're doing a tremendous extensive job of investigating everything."

I agree with you that the reason these possibilities were tossed out was to counter the impression that it had to be terrorism. It turns out it was terrorism, but this was at a time when everyone was freaking out at the sight of crop duster.

Anyway, this incident can't be used as an example of lying by the CDC. We were told the truth as soon as they knew it.

[Khurkris]

Thank you for posting your information. Speculation and ethnocentrisim do seem to run amuck at times.

I would like to mention that if the precautions being taken for SARS would have been applied in the early days of HIV-AIDS things might be a bit different. Something for contemplation.

[Smogger]

Sorry...SARS fatality rate is 5.8%, not 5.5%. I shouldn't have tried to go from memory.

Sorry, Hong Kong's SARS fatalities are at 7.2% but they think that it will rise higher because the formula doesn't consider many people who are still in hospitals and will die. I couldn't get to the CDC link but I assume that fatality rate there is worldwide?

Source: China shuts down major hospital

[mitchbert]

Sounds like what china was saying last week

Yes, but we're actually seeing a significant reduction in active cases. Last Friday there were 114 patients admitted, this week only 84. And no, the difference isn't all deaths. So far, so good.

[TaxRelief]

Exactly how much will "time to panic" cost the American Taxpayer? And how anxious are you to increase the "importance" of various government institutions, like WHO and the CDC?

We have an excellent health system, except for the socialist parts, and we are starting from a position of good hygiene (not sleeping with sheep or apes) and good nutrition.

Read what Dr. Gerberding has said repeatedly, "Wash your hands carefully and use waterless hand sanitizer."

[Dec31,1999]

Yes, but not by boat. The victims of Sars would not survive long enough without intensive care, which is why Canada has the problem in the first place: unlimited immigration.

[EnquiringMind]

"It was only a suggestion, and a valid one. People do occasionally contract environmental anthrax."

Actually, it was not just a suggestion, and not at all valid. People do not contract inhalation anthrax from the environment in this country; never happened before and they knew it. They were far more concerned about avoiding mass hysteria than reporting the facts. Hope they're a bit more straightforward with SARS.

[TaxRelief]

People do contract cutaneous anthrax from the environment in the US. "On August 28, 2000, the North Dakota Department of Health was notified by a local clinician of a patient with a cutaneous lesion suggestive of anthrax following exposure to an infected animal carcass. This report summarizes the investigation of this case, which was associated with an anthrax epizootic among livestock in North Dakota, and emphasizes the importance of increased vigilance for human cases of anthrax during and following outbreaks of anthrax among livestock." CDC

From National Cattlemen's Beef Association Safe handling of deadstock: 1. Do not open the body for inspection. Once exposed to air, anthrax changes from a vegetative state to spores. These can be carried on the wind or live in the soil for years.
2. Do not salvage hides, horns, antlers or any other tissue from the carcasses. Anthrax can survive, even if bones are bleached.
3. If possible, it is best to burn the carcass of the dead animal where it lies. If this is not reasonable, it should be buried in a pit 10-feet deep and covered with quick-lime.
4. If the animal was housed in a barn, burn the animalís bedding, manure and the surrounding soil. To disinfect panels, trailers or equipment, use an ammonia-based disinfectant labeled as effective for anthrax. Follow label directions to prevent respiratory irritation.

Although I was referring to all types of human anthrax, there has been inhalation anthrax cases in the US:

"This report presents the first case of cutaneous anthrax in the United States since 1992. In the United States, the annual incidence of human anthrax declined from approximately 200 cases in the early 1900s to no human cases since 1992. Although most cases reported in the United States have been cutaneous, 18 cases of inhalational anthrax were reported during the 20th century, most recently in 1976 (1). No cases of gastrointestinal anthrax have been reported in the United States."

The CDC is being more straightforward with SARS than the media, the Chinese and the liberals posting into SARS threads.

[equus]

How the heck did liberals get bashed on a SARS thread? Unbelievable.

[TaxRelief]

How the heck did liberals get bashed on a SARS thread? Unbelievable.

ROTFLMAO

[EnquiringMind]

The only cases of inhalation anthrax contracted in this country came from workers exposed to imported wool. Never has there been a naturally occuring case of environmental inhalation anthrax in this country.

No liberal here - I learned more about anthrax 2 years ago than I'll ever need to know, and have personally witnessed the CDC's evasions regarding anthrax. Oh, and is the CDC Republican? I would have guessed otherwise.